Four of the Six Investigated Bulgarian MPs will Give up Immunity Voluntarily

Four of the six investigated MPs said they would give up their immunity voluntarily. Only Volya's leader Vesselin Mareshki and the MPs from his party Krastina Taskova have not decided yet. They, however, consider themselves innocent and sees political interference in the actions of the prosecutor's office.

Vesselin Mareshki

MPs from BSP Elena Yoncheva and Georgi Mihaylov received the support of their entire parliamentary group. Speaking to journalists, Mihailov said that he did not think he committed any wrongdoing.”I found the hospital with 25 million debts when I was appointed as director and during the period my team and I were in place, it cut down its debt, so I feel completely relaxed,” he said.

Elena Yoncheva, BSP for Bulgaria: These are ridiculous accusations. These slanders have long been launched by GERB MPs and I have several times called on the relevant authorities to check. I am familiar with the methods of repression of GERB - this is a classic intimidation scheme. This accusation comes just two days after we insisted on technical expert inspection on the Bulgarian motorways.

Elena Yoncheva said that her company’s only contract was for television equipment for filming documentaries. BSP leader Kornelia Ninova was firm that the Parliamentary Group of the opposition did not intend to exclude Yoncheva and Mihaylov from their ranks.

Kornelia Ninova: These are two sharp blades of the BSP, I assume that such reaction is because of some of their statements and behaviour, so we stand firmly behind them and are convinced that they are innocent.

GERB MP Boris Kurchev also believes he is a victim of political pressure.

Boris Kurchev, GERB: This campaign against me has been going on for a year and a half.

"Where does it come from?" “From local structures of BSP in the city, in Kazanlak,” he said. “Anyway, at the moment I transferred companies, they did not have any debtrs and I have documents to prove that,” he added.

Vesselin Mareshki, the leader of Volya party, recalled that the MPs who were accused by the prosecutors, including him, have already given up their immunity, but in his words, the prosecution has now changed the articles on the basis of which it accuses them.

Vesselin Mareshki, Deputy Speaker of Parliement, from "Volya" party: For a whole year they are investigating for blackmail. Somehow, they found nothing, and now they have decided that it is blackmail for something else.

Unlike the first time, Mareshki is not sure he has to give up his immunity because he does not feel guilty, and also in the voting in the plenary hall he would know who is behind this attack.

Vesselin Mareshki: Let's see who they are, and whether these are blackmail accusations, or we are accused of wanting two scams to be thrown out by the government.

Mareshki refused to name who he was referring to, to avoid getting one more allegation.

Krastina Taskova, Deputy Chair of Volya PG: This is a battle between good and evil, between the old and the new, between behind-the-scenes politics and integrity, we will take this battle to the end. Plamen Hristov, "Volya" party: Our viewers can make their own conclusion, about why all these things happen with us.

Plamen Hristov said that, same as the first time his immunity was demanded, this time he will again voluntarily give it up. His colleague Krastina Taskova chose not to answer.

Bulgaria’s chief prosecutor Sotir Tsatsarov on 8th of November sought to lift the immunity of six MPs: Georgi Mihaylov and Elena Yoncheva from BSP; Boris Kirchev from GERB; Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Veselin Mareshki; and Krastina Taskova and Plamen Hristov from his Volya party.

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